March 3, 2017 by coloradotravelingducks

More Abu Dhabi and a Dhow Dinner Cruise with Zeb and Chanel.

Riding through Abu Dhabi, humans, duck and bear, are staring, wide eyed at all the development and the many palaces we pass. Gazing toward the water, we spotted some planes flying low, then a few helicopters over head. We do not know the occasion, but we enjoyed the colors left by the airplanes.

Celebrating something

A celebration of some kind? The palm trees along the streets are so pretty, and tropical.

Love palm trees in front of a royal palace

Abu Dhabi has many mosques. Most have speakers in a minaret, to call the worshippers to prayer.

Minaret of mosque with speakers

Several times each day, we hear this call. Our ears prefer some voices over others, but there is always the call. Riding along the coast, we approach the beach area of Corniche. Here again, we marvel at the innovative design of some new buildings.

Modern architecture

Looking across the water, we enjoyed the view.

Emirates Palace Hotel across water

This is Emirates Palace, an exclusive hotel. Admission is granted only with a hotel reservation, or a reservation at one of the restaurants. This view of modern architecture and Emirates Palace my look familiar to many of you.

Old and new on the Persian Gulf

We were told that some of the recent movie, Fast and Furious 7, was filmed here. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, is modern while retaining some older structures. Abu Dhabi’s oil reserves are expected to last many more years, but this former desert community is now a world business center and tourist destination. We enjoyed dinner on a Dhow Cruise. Our boat looked festive with all the lights.

Our boat for evening cruise and dinner

Our buffet dinner, delicious by the way, was served here. The fish dish was my favorite.

Dinner served here

After dinner mom and several humans enjoyed green tea with fresh mint leaves. A nice change to our regular green tea. Moving to the upper deck, I Zeb the Duck and Chanel the Bear, enjoyed the evening air and a wonderful view of Abu Dhabi.

Enjoying the evening upstairs after dinner

The reflections of city lights on the water is a favorite sight for me.

Abu Dhabi skyline

We all marveled at and admired Abu Dhabi from our Dhow Dinner Cruise.

Abu Dhabi skyscrapers

Such a pleasant evening in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

January 13, 2017 by coloradotravelingducks

National Rubber Ducky 2017

It is exciting! It is our day! Today, January 13 is National Rubber Ducky Day. In 1970 Jim Henson, as Ernie, sang Rubber Ducky on Sesame Street.

Ernie, Bert and Rubber Ducky from Sesame Sreet

We have been famous ever since that day. That rubber duck is cute, but we, the Colorado Traveling Ducks, think we are cuter and have better personalities. Today we celebrate us, the Colorado Traveling Ducks, and all the rubber ducks everywhere. We hope you see a rubber duck today and smile. Celebrate our day.

December 16, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Ms. Ducky Goes to Grand Teton National Park

Here she is. Still traveling in Wyoming, Ms. Ducky is entering Grand Teton National Park.

Grand Teton National Park

Heading toward Jackson Lake Lodge, a National Historic Landmark, she and her humans take in the beautiful mountain view.

Beautiful

Onward to Jackson Lake Dam and Reservoir.

Jackson Lake Dam and Reservoir

A great place.

Jackson Lake Dam and Reservoir

The river cuts through the land.

River

These are absolutely beautiful photos, Ms. Ducky.

Wow

We love them.

Beautiful

Breathtaking

Wow

Beauty everywhere

Driving through the Rocky Mountains, the humans and Ms. Ducky crossed the Continental Divide several times.

Crossing the Continental Divide

Wow, Ms. Ducky, Grand Teton National Park is a beautiful place. Thanks for sharing these pictures. It looks like you arrived back home in Colorado. Your human US Marine, Joe, shows us Joe the Marine Duck.

Joe the US Marine with Joe the Marine Duck

This seems like a great family vacation.

August 19, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Chapel on a Rock and Rocky Mountain National Park with the Colorado Traveling Ducks

Today I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck, are going with our moms toward Estes Park. We all love Estes Park. It is a great mountain resort town near Rocky Mountain National Park, about 90 minutes from home. Chapel on a Rock, or Saint Catherine of Siena Chapel is our first stop.

Saint Catherine of Siena Chapel

In 1916 Monsignor Joseph Bosetti was on a quest to find the impact site of a falling star when he found this rock formation. Remembering the Bible verse Matthew 16:18, upon this rock I will build my church, the Monsignor wanted to build a church here. But he had no funds. For 20 years he prayed and struggled with the Colorado Highway Department to keep his Rock intact. The land was purchased and then donated by Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Malo. In 1936, twenty years after first seeing the rock, the chapel was completed. The statue is very prominent, also.

Statue near chapel

This chapel is beautiful with Mount Meeker as a backdrop. The sanctuary is very nice.

Sanctuary

Here are some stairs.

Let’s go up the stairs

The stairs lead to the loft. This view is also nice.

View from loft

The official name of this chapel is Saint Catherine of Siena Chapel. This Franz Mayer stained glass window, depicts Saint Catherine holding the body of Christ on the cross.

View of loft and window

The statue of soft wood was made in Giacomo Mussner Studios in Bolzano, Italy.

Statue from Bolzano, Italy

The chapel was part of the Camp Saint Malo Catholic Retreat, Conference and Spiritual Center. The main building burned in 2011, but the chapel was not damaged. In 2013 during the floods, debris from a mountain slide destroyed much of the trails and other buildings, but again, the chapel was not damaged. The chapel is open to the public and available for weddings and other occasions. In 1993 Pope John Paul II visited this chapel and hiked some of the mountain trails. Next we visited Rocky Mountain National Park.

We love Rocky Mountain National Park

This is a favorite place for us. Today we drove to Bear Lake.

Bear Lake

There is a half mile trail around the lake.

Hiking trail

This is our favorite short hike in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Bear Lake

Soon it started to rain, so we went into Estes Park and had lunch at the Stanley Hotel.

The Stanley Hotel

Our moms said we could come back here soon and spend the night at the famous Stanley Hotel. When we do, we will tell you about this hotel and if we see any ghosts.

August 17, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Music and Dancing on the Beach in Malawi with Zeb

It feels like a party on the beach on Lake Malawi. I think we are ready for a party.

Our beach. Ready for a party.

Here is the drummer.

Drummer

He is fantastic. I, Zeb the Duck, don’t think he ever stops playing. We love him. People are dancing.

Let’s dance

The smiling children are joining the dancing.

Children dancing

We like many dancers. Everybody should try dancing on the beach to the beat of the drum.

Many more dancing

If not dancing, many play on the beach of Lake Malawi, in Malawi.

Many people on beach of Lake Malawi

These children love to have their pictures taken, or they really like to see their pictures.

Children love the camera

Someone is leading the conga line.

Join the conga line anyone?

This is fun. Of course, no party is complete without food. Esther cooks for us, using this three burner wood burning changu changu moto.

Esther cooks on a three burner wood burning changu changu moto

Deborah seemed to disappear for awhile. She was helping Esther. That was very nice to do. It is getting dark now; the drummer is stopping and the dancers are stopping. All the Ripple Africa volunteers, some of our Malawi friends and Ripple Africa employees gather for dinner. For dessert, a chocolate birthday cake is presented to Linda.

Birthday cake for Linda

This cake was baked on a changu changu moto wood burning stove. And the cake is delicious. We are all happy that Linda has a birthday while in Malawi, and that she shared her cake. The humans and Zeb, the Colorado Traveling Duck, will always smile when remembering our farewell party. We will miss all our new friends at Ripple Africa. Once again, the people have shown us why Malawi is called the Warm Heart of Africa.

May 8, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Happy Mother’s Day 2016

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone from the Colorado Traveling Ducks. Mother’s Day became an official holiday in the United States in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the declaration. In the United States Mother’s Day is celebrated the second Sunday in May. In the UK Mother’s Day is celebrated the fourth Sunday of Lent. Mother’s Day honors mothers and the influence of mothers in society. Mother’s Day is expanded to honor mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, and women in general. We, the Colorado Traveling Ducks will be proud to take the human women to dinner today. We ducks, and our human males, appreciate all the human females do for us and society in general. Happy Mother’s Day to all.

February 22, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Cripple Creek, Colorado Ice Festival with Zeb, Soapy Smith, and JB Duck

An Old West town made of ice, with slides, firehouses and miners. Cripple Creek, Colorado has that and more. The Colorado Traveling Ducks traveled southwest of Denver, into the mountains, to the old mining town of Cripple Creek. Yesterday was the last day of the Ice Festival.

Cripple Creek Ice Fsstival

Wow. This is a “cool” train. Small humans are having fun on the ice slide.

Ice slide

They sit on a piece of cardboard and slide down. If necessary, bales of straw stop them at the end. This could be a scene in the Old West.

A glimpse into the past

An important part of old towns is the Saloon.

Here is the Saloon

Let’s go in. This is a well stocked bar.

This bar has everything

And, mining towns need a diligent prospector.

Prospector

We really like him. Without cars, horses were the major form of transportation.

Riding the horse

Guess we are going back to the Saloon. Even in the Old West towns, the sheriff was needed. There were always some characters wanted by the law.

Wanted?? Reward??

Before cows, the buffalo did roam.

Buffalo

Just in case, the Firehouse was ready.

Firehouse

Now that scoundrel, Soapy Smith Duck, is sitting on a big boot.

Soapy on the boot

Careful, that spur can do damage. Leaving the ice sculptures, we sat in the caboose.

Sitting in a caboose

This is nice. Hey, look at the wooden swing.

We love swings

These are logs for log homes. Swings are so much fun. Here we have Sangria, from http://www.whatwelove.com

Sangria

Michael Hasler is the owner and winemaker. Time to eat. Grammies Desserts have less to sell now.

Grammies Desserts

Moms are buying lots and it looks so good. We also bought warm, homemade tamales here. Yum! Cripple Creek Ice Festival is great and we love it. As the sun begins to get lower in the sky, we enter Century Casino.

Century Casino

Twenty-five years ago gambling was legalized in Cripple Creek. The casinos are not allowed to build huge new casinos. The historic buildings now are casinos. This makes the town retain the Old West look and atmosphere. Video poker is the game of choice today.

Let’s play video poker

The moms have a good time. Some hands they win and some they lose. We ducks are fascinated with video poker. Soon the humans are finished, cash out the winnings, and head for the bar. A bag of popcorn, a hot dog and diet Cokes are just what we wanted. Great festival food. Visit Cripple Creek soon. This is a great town and they have great festivals.

October 15, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Colors of Autumn near Denver 2014

Today, Tuesday, was a beautiful fall day in Colorado. I, Zeb the Duck, was in the car with mom as she drove around town doing errands.

Fall colors with mountains behind

We stopped to take some pictures, but I did not get in any photos.

Spectacular view today. New snow on Continental Divide.

Just scenery shots today. These photos are northwest of Denver, and probably within 5 miles of downtown Denver.

We love to see this every day

We like to show you the beauty of Colorado.

Street in Denver suburb. We love the snow capped mountains.

These trees are turning colors and as you can see, most of the leaves are still on the trees.

Looking up

The fall mums add more color for the season.

Bright mum planted on a street corner.

A few more photos near Indian Tree Golf Club in Arvada. JB Duck’s dad and his friends have golfed here.

Indian Tree Golf Club

Pond and fountain near Indian Tree Golf Club

The sky is so blue.

Golf courses are pretty

Leaves turning and blue sky

We have not had a hard freeze or heavy snow yet, so the leaves have not been damaged. So far, the snow and freezing temperatures have been limited to the mountains. Tuesday was sunny and 70 degrees. Wednesday, as you read this, we expect to reach 80 degrees with sun again. We encourage you to look for fall colors and enjoy the colors of autumn everywhere.

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